


Anywhere Tonight

by reveil



Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: Academy Festival, Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, Fluff, Manga Spoilers, Misunderstandings, One Shot, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:41:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26005102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reveil/pseuds/reveil
Summary: Another year, another festival, another party.Ryuji has been here twice before, but it’s his third time that makes him the most miserable.And he knows full well it’s because of you.
Relationships: Suguro "Bon" Ryuuji/Reader
Kudos: 24





	Anywhere Tonight

**Author's Note:**

> In honor of Bon's birthday. I hope you enjoy it!

_1 day before the Academy Festival_

“What do you mean _you’re not going to the dance party_?” Shima said, nearly jumping out of his chair before Koneko’s hand shot out to keep him seated.

“I didn’t say that,” Ryuji said, each word coming out slow and measured. Shima always found new ways of testing his patience. “I _am_ going. I’m just going to be on the staff.”

The three of them had chosen to sit outside for lunch, but the usual crew was missing that day. Rin was bringing lunch to Yukio, knowing his younger brother would’ve been holed up again in his classroom, and Shiemi and Izumo always ate with Paku, though it was in the cafeteria today.

“This is our last year! Can’t you just skip it this time?” Shima asked, his roll lying half-eaten and forgotten in front of him.

“I already said I was free.”

“No,” Shima groaned. “No, no, no—” He threw a plastic wrapper at Ryuji, but it was barely in the air before landing on Ryuji’s sandwich. “I can’t believe you’re not seeing what’s wrong with this!”

Ryuji pushed the wrapper aside, ignoring him. “Koneko? You’re not bothered by this like the _Spy_ is, are you?”

His use of the old nickname didn’t sit well with Shima. He protested against it, but neither Ryuji nor Koneko paid him any mind.

“No, of course not,” Koneko said, “but… I did think that you and (Name) would be going… together, I mean.”

Ryuji’s eyes snapped back to Koneko, but his friend was already picking apart the fish on his plate, suddenly interested in what he’d bought for lunch. “(Name)’s already going with someone else—”

“What? No, she isn’t!” Shima interrupted, looking far too happy to be in the conversation again. “I don’t know where you heard that, but she rejected that first-year guy.”

“I heard the same thing,” Koneko added.

Ryuji paused with the sandwich in his hands. Damn it. He was actually _pleased_ about this.

“So this is your last chance! The dance is in two days!” Shima said forcefully, slapping his hands on their table. Several heads turned around, curious eyes landing on the three of them.

One glare from Ryuji was all that was needed to settle down Shima, but only slightly. If Rin was here, Ryuji just knew he would’ve taken Shima’s side on this, drawing even more attention to their table.

It was the third year that Ryuji was refusing to listen to Shima, but he was being extra annoying this year. Even Koneko, it seemed, had the same idea as Shima did, and Ryuji had already been egged on by his own master, Lightning, to “have some fun.”

But Ryuji didn’t believe in going to the festival. For weeks, he’d passed posters for the annual event on the walls, all of them saying the same thing:

THE ANNUAL TRUE CROSS ACADEMY FESTIVAL 20XX

And just last week, letters had poured out of his locker, a pile of them falling to the floor. Ryuji had accepted none of them, because the only dressing up he wanted to do was wear a suit as staff, not because he was on a date.

He stood up abruptly with his food tray, looking down at Shima and Koneko. “I’m working during the festival. End of story.”

There was a hopeless look on Shima’s face, which went ignored as Ryuji told them he’d see them later.

_Staff_ , he thought to himself. He was staff.

* * *

_Academy Festival: Day 1_

Filling the sky above Mepphyland were hundreds of large, differently shaped balloons, and below them, Yukio’s voice blared through the megaphone. “Remember, all student IDs must be visible to the staff!”

Ryuji tried not to feel disappointed when he didn’t see you anywhere.

* * *

_Academy Festival: Day 2_

“ID, please.”

Feeling eyes on him, Ryuji scanned the student ID. The act of taking it and turning it over was just for show—all of it was. As soon as he’d seen the ID, he’d known it was real.

After two now three years of this, his eyes were trained for the telltale signs of a fake ID, but actually finding one had become rare. Being busted for a fake ID was a pretty shitty way to try impressing a date; it wasn’t worth it.

But the staff still had to check, just in case someone really was stupid enough to bring one. So far there were none, and now that included this couple, both second-years who’d started to get nervous watching Ryuji.

Finally, he handed the ID back to the guy whose name he knew now was Tetsuyuki. “You two can go in. Have fun,” Ryuji said, trying for a friendly tone. If it sounded otherwise, the couple didn’t notice.

“Thanks!” Tetsuyuki said.

The girl—Minami—tugged on his sleeve, pointing at one of the food stalls toward their right. “God, something smells delicious! Let’s go over there first, Tetsu!”

“O-Okay!”

It wasn’t the first time that night Ryuji had let a couple through, not even the second time either. All night on the first day of the festival, he’d been doing this. It was the same as last year and the year before that, but both those times had been much more tolerable than this.

Last year especially, Ryuji had actually been able to enjoy the festival, even from the sidelines where all he did was stand and wait for the next couple to come up with their IDs. The Illuminati hadn’t crashed the party again, and Izumo had kept her promise to Rin: working as a cashier at his stall. A year late, but a little detail like that didn’t matter to Rin.

Somewhere right now, Rin and Izumo were behind that stall, Shiemi elsewhere delivering flowers to recipients, and Koneko at another place with the president of his club (for the third year in a row, much to Shima’s utter shock).

This year, this dance, being on staff felt more like a chore to Ryuji. A chore that he’d agreed to but nonetheless was growing weary of. Ryuji pulled at the bowtie around his neck. Maybe he should ask to be placed in another position instead…

“Ryuji, are you alright?’

He looked up, meeting Yukio’s concerned eyes. “Yeah. Sorry. My head just went somewhere else.”

“It’s fine,” Yukio said, understanding. He paused, glancing at all the couples dancing in the distance. “I don’t really care much for these things… but shouldn’t you be out there too?”

Ryuji held in a sigh. Even Yukio, who was working as staff again just to reject invitations, was wondering why he was here.

“I can’t,” Ryuji said, rather weakly. It was too late. “And… (Name) didn’t come.”

Yukio raised his brows. “She was with Shima earlier.”

“Shima?” Ryuji choked.

He wanted to know how he could’ve missed _that_. Then he remembered how there’d been many couples yesterday and today. With his attention split between checking IDs, controlling access for partygoers, and sometimes talking with others on the staff, it was entirely possibly that you and Shima had arrived tonight and Ryuji had missed it.

To Yukio’s credit, he was calm, letting Ryuji consider what this new information meant. “Last I saw of them, they were going in the direction of the rides. They should still be there if you go now.”

“I already—”

“Just go,” Yukio said, his voice firm. He wouldn’t argue about this. “Before you miss them again. I’ll talk to Shura while you’re gone.”

Ryuji shook off his surprise. “Thanks,” he said, tossing his headset at Yukio. Where Ryuji was going, he wouldn’t need it. “I’ll owe you one.”

Yukio caught it easily and smiled. “No, you won’t.”

Ryuji was off, running in the direction Yukio had said. Even if he hadn’t been on staff, he would’ve known where to go. All he had to do was follow the lights, so many of them crowded together in one spot.

At every festival Ryuji had been to, the thrill rides were always popular with couples and were seen as a good alternative to actually dancing. This year was no different. Long lines had formed in front of the Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, and roller coaster.

Ryuji had to mutter low apologies as he avoided colliding into others. He was tall enough that he could see over most heads, but Shima’s hair—still dyed that same pink—was nowhere in sight.

Ryuji found you sitting on a bench. Alone.

…Alone?

He took a couple of steps toward you. “(Name)?”

You sat up immediately. “Bon! I thought you were working as staff tonight? Are you taking a break?”

Ryuji shook his head. “I got off early.” He looked around, not seeing anyone with you. “Where’s Shima?”

“Probably looking for girls to dance with,” you joked, making more room for Ryuji on the bench.

“So he just _ditched_ you?” Ryuji would kill him. After tonight, Shima would be a dead man.

You held a hand up, reassuring Ryuji gently, “No, don’t. I’m not angry at him. We didn’t go as a couple. Shima just asked me to go so he could get inside.”

Ryuji rubbed his forehead. “That damn idiot…” He looked up at you. “Why’d you help him?”

You smiled. “It’s our last year together as students. I guess I thought even Shima deserved to go.”

Ryuji sighed. Though he didn’t fully support it, he could understand why you’d think so.

“Wait, Bon… Did you come here looking for us?” you asked, peering over at his face.

Ryuji stared back, saying softly, “Yeah. I… I thought you two had gone together.”

Saying it made him feel stupid. Drowning in worldly desires as he was, Shima wouldn’t actually do such a thing. The _Spy_ had come out tonight, getting Ryuji exactly where Shima wanted him to be: with you.

“Me and Shima?” you laughed. “Never. Besides, Ryuji…” You scooted closer, placing a hand on one of his. “If I was really going here with someone, it would’ve been with you. Not Shima.”

As Ryuji sat, he ran a hand through his hair, still cut short and missing the blond streak. He rested his elbows against his knees, trying not to think how his heart had skipped a beat when you’d said his name. “I know it’s late… but do you want to dance?”

You squeezed his hand, urging him to stand with you. “I’d love to.”


End file.
